Future Voters Learn the Importance of Voting

By Gretta Becay

 

Groups of delighted third graders trekked from the Intermediate School to the Byron City Hall during the week of Oct. 21 to learn about voting. Mayor Daryl Glassmaker and city staff members hosted the groups. The students were from the classes of Amanda Fletcher and Sandy Johnson. 
When the children arrived, Daryl talked to them about voting and showed them a representative ballot that Byron voters will use to vote on Nov. 5. A city employee had a list of the students, so their names were checked off before they took their ballots and proceeded to the voting booths.
On the ballots, the children were asked to vote for their favorite pet, their favorite subject in school and yes or no whether they used the Byron municipal swimming pool in the summer. 
After they voted, each child received a sticker saying, ‘future voter.’ 
Daryl explained to the students that there was nothing wrong with not getting the most votes. It doesn’t mean that dogs are better than cats or vice versa. It just means they didn’t get the most votes. “Don’t feel bad about that,” he said. 
The children asked Daryl many questions including what his duties were as mayor. They also asked, why vote?
He explained, “You vote so you have a say in what happens in the government, from the local level to the national level. If you don’t vote, you don’t have any say in your representation.”
Please exercise your right to vote on Nov. 5. If you’re over the age of 18 and you’re a Byron resident, you may vote at the Byron City Hall, 680 Byron Main Court NE. 
Polls open at 7 a.m.